Grass-twine machine.



B. McNElR.

GRASS TWINE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEPLZI, Isn.

1 1 86,2 1 5 Patnted June 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I.

A TTU N5 YS.

MTA/555i TMB CBLUMBIA PLANOGIAPM C0.. WASHINGTON D c .B. MCNER.

GRASS TWINE MACHINE.

APPLlcATmNHLEn sPT.2l, 1914.

Patented Julie 6, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

NVM/TOR. MTA/55555 ATTORI/VDE MTA/5555 ffiv.

B. McNElR.

GRASS TWINE NACHINE. APPLICATION FILED SEPLZI, |914.

Patented June 6,1916. Y

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

ATTU/QN/:YE

me COLUMBIA PLANDGRAPH co.. wAsuINotoNLD. c.

B. MCNEIR.

GRASS TWINE MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED SEP-L21, 1914. n 1,186,215. Patented June 6,1916. 4EEEEEEEEEEEE 4.

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BURROWS MCNEIR, VF GREEN BAY, WISCONSIN.

GEAss-TwINE MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

. Patented June e, 1916.

Application filed September 21, 1914. Serial No. 862,745.

To all Iwhom it may conce/rn Be it known that I, BUnRows MONETE, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Greon'Bay, in the countyof Green Bay, lVisconsin, have invented 'new and useful Improvements inGrass-Twine Machines, of which the following is a description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, which .are a part of thisspecification.

My invention has relation to improve-A ments in grass twine machines;thatgis to say, to a class of machines adapted forfeeding longitudinallytherethrough lengths or blades of grass (usually a grass of the sedgefamily), the mechanism causing the grass lengths Yto travel through themachine in overlapped relation, and the mechanism also causing theoverlapped lengths or blades of grass to be wrapped with a spirallytrending thread. The twine Vso formed is subsequently, by means of aloom, woven into a so-ealled grass carpet or rug. i

One of the primary objects of the present invention is, to provide aypair of notched wheels or disks at the contracted mouth or outlet of thegrass holder, the notches of said wheels being alternately positioned.By thus providing a pair of thesewheels, they can be run at a very slowrate of speed, as, owing to the notches being alternately disposed withrespect to each other, a practically continuous feeding is accomplished.Furthermore,cby providing a pair of notched wheels feeding into afunnel, orpair of advancing rolls, or other advancing mechanism, theliability of breakage of the grass lengths is lessened. Also, a moreuniform feed of the material is secured, inasmuch as if a notch of oneof the wheels should fail to take its proper charge or load of grassblades, the notch of the adjacent wheel will nevertheless receive itscharge, so that the slight break in the feed would be almostunappreciable, whereas, if only one notched wheel were provided, and oneof the notches of this wheel should miss its charge, it would result inquite a difference in the evenness of the feed.

Another important object is, that the mechanism is such asto provide forthe grass blade-s being fed from the grass holder to and betweenadvancing rolls, at an angle.

By this arrangement, the grass blades have an opportunity to workdownwardly be' tween the rolls while they are being advanced `forwardlyby said rolls, thereby making room for the neXt succeeding bunch orcharge of grass. If the grass lengths were fed straight between therolls, the said grass blades would remain in that position and thuscheck or clog the rolls against the entrance of succeeding bunches ofgrass. y

It frequently happens, especially with Ysedge grass cut from the marshlands, that some of the grass will run dark, while the grass cut fromother portions of the field will be of a lighter hue. In running thisgrass of varying hues through the machine, if no attemptis made to guardagainst it, the finished product or grass twine will come out of themachine either of dark color or light color, as the case may be, andwhen these differently colored twine sections are passed through theloom, the finished grass mater rug will be more or less unsightly, owingto dark and light streaks appearing therein. It is, therefore, a furtherobject of my invention to provide a means whereby grass lengths of darkhue may be separated from those of the light hue.lv and fed .altennately, so that there is an even mixture of the dark and light colors,whereby the objectionable streaky appearance is avoided and the beautyof the finished mat thereby enhanced.

A still further incidental object of the invention is, the provision ofa means whereby the spool containingthe thread, after the thread isunwound therefrom, can be readily removed, and a new spool substituted.

`'Vith the above and other objects inview, the invention consists. ofthe devices and parts, or the equiyalents thereof, as hereinafter morefully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a grasstwine machine Vequipped with my improvements,

the thread-carrying mechanism being shown in longitudinal section, andthe drive shaft and other parts being shown as broken away; Fig. 2 is across section on the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of thearrow, the upper portions of the grass holder arms being shown brokenaway; Fig. 3 is a crosssection on the linev 3 3 of Fig. 1, looking inthe direction of the arrow, the upper portion of the abutting boardshown as broken away; Fig. t is a similar view of Fig. 3 on the line 4 4of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow; Fig. 5 is a crosssection on the line 5 5 of Fig. 1, looking .in the direction of thearrow; Fig. 6 is a horizontal section on the line 66 of Fig. 4t; Fig. 7is a section on the line 7 7 of F ig. 2; and Fig. S is a fragmentaryplan view showing a modied form of const-ruction. A

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 8 is employed to denote orindicate the general frame work upon which the operating parts of themachine are supported. Extending upwardly from the top of the frame workare tubular posts or standards V9 and 10 respectively. The bore ofstandard 9 is just of suflicient diameter to admit of Ithe passagefreely therethrough of a vertical shaft 11. This shaft extends above thestandard and carries a roller 12. The bore of standard 10 isconsiderably Vgreater in diameter than the diameter of the bore ofstandard 9, and passing through this enlarged bore is another verticalshaft 13. This shaft, at the upper end of the bore, passes through a box14. A coiled spring 15 bears at its inner end against this box, and aplate 16 bears against the outer end of this spring. An adjusting screw17 is threaded through the side of the post or standard 10, and at itsinner end i'inpinges against the plate. It is obvious that by turningthe screw in one direction or the other, the degree of `pressure of thespring against the box 14, can be readily regulated. A similarairangeinent is provided 'for the lower end of the shaft 13; that is tosay, that portion of the said shaft which extends downwardly beneath thetop of the frame work, passes through a similar box 13, and acorresponding coiled spring 19, ,plate 20, and adjusting screw Q1, areprovided. IIhe upper end of shaft 13, which extends above the tubularpost or standard 10, carries a roller 22 similar to the roller y12, andadj acent thereto.

rIhe lower ends of the tubular posts or standards 9 and 10 are connectedby a recessed, enlarged base 23. Disposed Vin this recess, and mountedfast upon the two shafts 11 and 13 respectively, are intermeshing gearwheels 2l and 25, whereby the rotation of one shaft is imparted to theother. Also, rotation of one of these shafts-for instance. the shaft11,-is secured through the medium of a beveled pinion 26 mounted on thelower end of said shaft, and which beveled pinion is in meshingengagement with a lbeveled gear 27 carried at the end of a horizontallydisposed drivev shaft 28. The drive shaft 'is driven by any suitablesource of power.

Above the top of the table and mounted in pairs of upright bearing posts259-29 are horizontal shafts 30-30. Rotation is imparted to one of theseshafts by means of a sprocket chain 31 which passes around a sprocketwheel 32 fast on said shaft, and

also around a sprocket wheel 33 fast on the.

main drive shaft 28, and the rot-ation of this particular shaft 30 isimparted to the other companion shaft by means of intermeshiiig gears311-34: mounted fast on said shafts 30. A guard or housing 3e isprovided for the upper port-ion of the gears 3l.

The blades of Orass are shown in Figs.

e e. 1 and 2, and are indicated by the numeral 35. A suitable holder isrequired foi' these blades or lengths of O'i'ass and for this iuro c lapose I provide two sets of upwardly diverging flat arms. The outermostpair or set of arms I have indicated by the numerals and the innermost)air or set of arms 7 P' l' :by the numerals 3f. lliese arms may besupported orsecured in any suitable inaniier, and in the drawings I haveshown the outermost arms secured Aat their lower ends to angle brackets33, and the inner arms to the innermost upright bearing posts 29.

'Spaced a desired distance longitudinally from the inner arms 37 is anabutting board 39 against which the butt ends of t-he lengths or bladesof grass are placed and thereby even'ed. This abutting board is prosvided with edge flanges 40-40 extending at angles Avtherefrom andforming guards to Yprevent undue separation of the butt ends of :thegrass. The downward converging of the arms 36 and 37, as will be seen,forms a. gradually narrowing or vcontracting passage.

Disposed in the space between the inner lholder v'arms `37 and theabutting board 39, is a partition which divides the lower portion "ofsaid space into two gradually contractiiig or narrowing spaces Ll1-11terminating in attenuated throats or discharge openings. This vpartitionmaybe of any desirable form, but I prefer to employ the specific formshown in the accompanying drawings, consisting of a walled structurecomprising a peaked or slanting roof 4t2, and straight y,side piecesA13-43. The slanting roof portion, in conjunction with the inner arms 37of the grass holder, makes the greater portions of each of the passages41, of tl-shaped or downwardly converging form.

In vvcases where some ofthe grass blades are dark and other bunches orquantities light, they are separated, and 'the dark lengths are placedin `one of the V-'sha'ped passages 41, and the light blades in the otherV-shaped passage 11. The right-hand end of the dividing partitionextends to and against the abutting board 39. The lefthand end of thepartition is provided with an end piece 14. The power portion of 'thisend piece isv extended downwardly, and the opposite edges 4of thedownwardly extending portion, 'are curved inwardly, as indicated by tlienumerals 425-45, the respective inward curves lying close to and conforming to the peripheries of disks O1* wheels 46-46 mounted on the shafts30-30. The centers of the peripheries of these disks are formed orprovided with annular' rings which are equipped with notches 47, thenotches of the two rings being alternately disposed or positioned. Thecurved edges 45, on account of their lying close to the peripheries ofthe disks 46, act as retaining walls for holding the blades of grass inthe notches 47.

It is desirable to provide positive means for forcing the bunches ofgrass from the different notches of the disks, after said disks haverotated for a certain distance. To provide for this, I employ two springarms 1-8 48, (see particularly Figs. 2 and 7), which are secured attheir lower ends to angle brackets 49-49, connected to the posts orstandards 9 and 10. The upper ends of these spring arms are bifurcated(see Fig. 7), and the two fingers of each arm, formed by thebifurcation, straddle the annular, notched portion of the disk and restupon the main periphery of said disk. It is obvious, that when a notchof a disk reaches the spring finger relating to that particular disk,the said finger sweeps or forces the bunch of grass out of and free fromengagement with the notch.

It will be noted particularly from Fig. 4 of the drawings, that thelower end of the abutting board 39 is provided with downwardlyconverging fingers 50-50, which assist the narrowed or contracted mouthsor outlets of the passages 41-41 in directing the blades into the bitingaction of the rolls 12 and 22, the upper ends of said rolls beingpreferably beveled, as clearly shown, in order to facilitate theentrance of the grass blades therebetween.

It is desirable, if not necessary, that the grass lengths in the twopassages 41 be positively acted upon, so as to force the lengthsdownwardly into the narrowing outlet openings, and into engagement withthe notches of the disks 46. Any desirable and suitable mechanism may beemployed for this purpose, but I prefer to employ the. specific form ofmechanism shown in the drawings, and most clearly illustrated in Fig. 2,and consisting of a rocking segment 51 movable in guides 52 52 securedto the end wall 44 of the dividing partition. The opposite ends of thisrocking segment are beveled, as clearly shown. Therefore, when thesegment is swung toward and into the left hand space 41, the beveled endwill act upon a number of blades of grass, and force said bladesdownwardly through the atten uated mouth or outlet, and into position tobe engaged by one of the notches 47. On the opposite reeiprocation ofthe rocking segment, its opposite end will act upon some of the bladesof grass in the right-hand space 41, and force a number of these bladesdownwardly into the attenuated mouth on that side of the grass holder,and into position to be engaged by the notch of the right-hand disk 46.v

In order not to interfere with the reciprocation of the segment 51, thestraight end walls 43 of the dividing partition, are provided withopenings 53. As a convenient means of rocking this segmental arm, Imount rigidly on the drive shaft 28 a disk 54 having a. wrist pin 55extending from one face thereof. To this wrist pin is connected thelower end of a pitman 56, and the upper end of this pitinan articulateswith a rod 57, the said rod extending to and being connected with arocking arm 58, which rocking arm extends through the dividing partitionand through the end piece 44 of said partition, and carries on this enda segmental rack 59, the teeth of which are adapted to engage the teethon the upper edge of the rocking segment 51. It is obvious that, as themain shaft 28 is rotated, its rotation is imparted to the disk 54, and areciprocating motion is conveyed to the pitman 56, and through theconnecting rod l57 the shaft 58 is given a rocking motion, which rockingmotion is, of course, imparted to the rack baT 59, which latter, inturn, causes a back and forth reciprocation of the segmental packer orforcing arm 51. Y

ln gra ss twine machines, after the grass is advanced by the first setof feed rolls, it is customary that the lengths of grass be broughttogether and converged into compact form ready for the wrapping thread.I, therefore, show, to the rear of `the rolls 12 and 22, a trumpet orcondensing funnel 60.

Suitable mechanism should be provided for wrapping a thread or cordaround the lengths of the material, as said lengths are fed from thecondensing trumpet or other condensing means. Referring to thismechanism, the numeral 61 indicates a fixed, tubular shaft through whichthe condensed lengths of grass are drawn. lotatably mounted on thisfixed shaft is a drum 62, said drum provided at one end with a. head 63.Surrounding the drum and removable longitudinally therefrom is a spool64, upon which the thread 65 is wound. The usual spring tension arm 65 salso provided, said arm being equipped at its end with an eye throughwhich the thread from the spool passes, the said cord being carried downto theV compressed lengths and wrapped around said compressed lengths inthe space between the nose of the funnel and the end of the tubularshaft 61.

It is, of course, necessary that the drum 62 be rotated, so as to unwindthe thread from the spool 64. To accomplish this rotation the rear endof the drum is provided with a projecting hub upon which is formed asprocket wheel 66. Around the sprocket wheel passes a sprocket chain 67,which chain` extends to and passes around the sprocketwheel 68 mountedon a shaft 69 which is shown as in longitudinal alinement with the maindrive shaft 28, and which shaft 69 may be driven in any desirablemanner.

It is necessary, when all the thread on one spool is used up or becomesexhausted, to remove the empty spool and replace it with a new spool. Toprovide for this, I provide the bearing for one of the ends of the shaft6l in the upper end of an arm 70. The lower end of this arm is pivotedto an upright 7l, on pivot bolt 7'2. lVhen the bearing arm 70 is in itsnormal upright position, with the shaft 6l in longitudinal alinementwith the mouth of the funnel 60, said arm is held locked to the uprightTl by means of a bolt and nut 'T3 and 74E respectively. Vhenever it isdesired to remove the spool, all that is necessary is, to turn olf thenut Tl and remove the bolt 573, when, of course, the arm 70 can be swungto the dotted line position shown in F ig. 5, in which position, ofcourse, the spool can be readily removed.

In the use of the machine, the grass is placed in the holder, as shownmost clearly in Figs. l and 2, and where the grass runs in dark andlighthues, care should be taken to separate the dark lengths from thelight, and place the dark blades in one of the passages Lll, and thelight blades in the other passage 4l, so that there may be an evenadinixture of the varying hues, as hereinbefore fully pointed out. Themain operating shafts 2S and 69 are set in motion. rlhe rotation ofshaft 28 is communicated to the different movable parts of the feedingmechanism, as hereinbefore fully pointed out, and the rotation of shaft69 causes the rotation ofthe drum 62.

Considering the action of the various mechanisms serrati/m, the rockinosegment 53 will cause a downward forcing` of the grass blades first inone passage or division el, and then in the next passage or division el,and so on alternately. As the disks 4G are rotated toward each other,and as the notches 47 of these disks are alternately set or positioned,first one notch of one disk will engage a quantity or bunch of the grassin the contracted mouth of the discharge opening of one of the passages4:1, and then a notch of the other disk will engage a quantity or bunchof the grass in the contracted mouth of the discharge opening of theother passage el, land so on alternately. Each notch carries its bunchof grass downwardly between the rolls l2 and Z2 for a slight distance,causing said bunch to be bent at an angle, as clearly shown in Fig. l,thus giving the grass blades an opportunity to work downwardly whilethey are being advanced forwardly by the rolls, and whereby room is madefor the next succeeding bunch of grass carried by the notch of the otherdisk. The grass thus alternately advanced between the rolls is nextforced into the condensing trumpet or funnel 60, and is wrapped with athread as it emerges from the outlet of said funnel, and this wrappedgrass is drawn through the tubular shaft 6l by the usual draw rolls (notshown) located at the end of the machine.

F rom the foregoing description of the invention it will be seen that,by the provision of the notched wheels, the notches of one wheel beingalternately positioned with respect to the notches of the other wheel,not only can the notched disks be run at a slow rate of speed, butpractically a continuous feed is provided, and also a very uniform feedof the material. is secured. lfurthen more, the angularity of the feedof the grass to the feed rolls, secures an'iniportant ad- 'antage, as itenables a bunch of the grass blades to work downwardly while they arebeing advanced forwardly, thereby making room for the next succeedingbunch of grass. A still further very important provision of theinvention is, the arrangement of the holder, in conjunction with thedividn ing partition, whereby different hues or colors of the grass canbe separated and fed alternately to the feed rolls, insuring an evenadmiXture thereof, and preventing streaks in the finished rug or carpet.

While the machine is particularly adapted for feeding lengths of grass,yet l do not wish to restrict myself specifically to this use of themechanism, inasmuch as it is adaptable for feeding` lengths of anyflexible material that it is desired to be formed into twine.

Fig. 8 of the drawing shows a modified construction and arrangement,whereby a number of machines of the kind described may be arranged sideby side, each discharging into its respective funnel G0, and tiematerial from each funnel then beingl discharged into a common funnelThis construction. results in a further admixture of different hues orcolors, whereby th color of each of the grasses issuing from thedifferent machines, isl blended into a uniform color.

That l claim is:

l. ln a machine of the character described. a pair of rotatable feedrolls, and a pair of feed disks mounted .in close relation to each otherwith their axes arranged at an angle to the axes of said feed rolls,each of said feed disks having its periphery notched to receive bunchesof material and adapted to rotate continuously in one direction and inan opposite direction to the other disk, the notches of the disks being`alternately disposed in respect to each other.

2. In a machine of the character described, the combination of opposed,rotatable feed rolls, opposed, rotatable, peripherallynotched feed disksat angles to the feed rolls, and so positioned with reference to thefeed rolls as to cause the notches of each disk to feed bunches ofmaterial between the feed rolls, the notches of the disks beingalternately disposed with respect to each other.

S. In a machine of theV character described, a pair of rotatable feedrolls, a pair of feed disks mounted in close relation to each other withtheir axes arranged at an angle to the axes of said feed rolls,.each ofsaid disks having its periphery notched to receive bunches of materialand adapted to rotate continuously in one direction and in an oppositedirection to the other disk, and means for alternately releasing` thebunches of material from the notches.

l. In a machine of the character described, the combination of opposed,coperating rotatable feed rolls, opposed cooperating rotatableperipherally notched feed disks positioned with their axes at an angleto the feed rolls to cause the notches of each disk tofeed bunches ofmaterial between the feed rolls, and means for alternately releasing thebunches of material from the notches.

In a machine of the character described,

the combination of a vertical stationary' holder for the material, saidholder being sub-divided into a plurality of downwardlyconvergingpassages, feeding mechanism in proximity to the contracted outlet endsof the converging passages and adapted to feed alternately from saidconverging passages, and means located within and acting upon thematerial in the passages, for forcing said material downwardly into thecontracted outlets of said passages.

6. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a feedingmechanism, a holder for the material, said holder being subdivided intoa plurality of downwardlyconverging passages, said.'Y passages havingtheir contracted outlet openings leading to the feeding mechanism, and areciprocating device adapted to act alternately on the ina-v terialwithin the passages, to force said material downwardly into thecontracted outlets of said passages.

7. In a machine of the character described, the combination of feedingmechanism, a holder for the material, said holder being subdivided intoa plurality of downwardlyconverging passages, said passages having theircontracted outlet openings leading to the feeding mechanism, a segmentalbar provided with oppositely-beveled ends, and

means for reciprocating said bar so as to alternately project theopposite ends thereof into the respective passages.

8. In a machine of the'charact'er described` the combination of feedingmechanism, a

holder for the material, said holder being subdivided into a pluralityof downwardlyconverging passages having their contracted outlet openingsleading to the feeding mechanism, a segmental bar provided withoppositely-beveled ends, said bar having teeth on one of itslongitudinal edges, a pivoted, toothed, segmental rack engaging theteeth of the segmental bar, and means for imparting an alternatelyrockingV movement to said segmental rack, to force said materialdownwardly into the contracted outlets 0f said passages.

9. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a holderfor the material, said holder being subdivided into a plularit'y ofdownwardly converging passage having contracted outlet openings,Vopposed cooperatingv notched, rotatable feed disks arranged below thecontracted outlet openings to feed alternately from said contractedopening, andncoperating feed rolls having their axes at angles to theaxes of the notched disks, and to which feed rolls the notched disks areadapted to feed the material.

l0. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a holderfor the material, said holder being subdivided into a plurality ofdownwardly-converging passages having contracted outlet openings,notched, rotatable feed disks arranged below the contracted outletopenings, the notches of the disks being alternately disposed, and'feedrolls having their axes at angles to the axes of the notched disks, andVto which feed -rolls the notched disks are adapted to feed the material.

l1. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a holderfor the material, said holder beino' subdivided into a plurality ofdownwardly-converging passages having contracted outlet openings,opposed coperating notched feed disks arranged below the contractedoutlet openings to feed alternately from said contractedopenings,coperating feed rolls having their axes at angles to the axesof the notched disks, and to which feed rolls the notched disks areadapted to feed the material, and means for releasing the lengths ofmaterial from the notches, after the ends of the material have beencarried downwardly at an angle from the holder and into the bite of i'terial from said compartments to the single feeding mechanism.

13. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of opposed,rotatable feed rolls, opposed, periplierally-notched feed disks set atangles to the feed rolls, and so positioned with reference to the feedrolls as to cause the notches of each disk to feed bunches of materialbetween the rolls, and a member extending between the peripheries of thedisks for a certain distance, the opposite edges of said member beingcurved to conform to the peripheries of said disks, and adapted toretain the lengths of material in the notches for a certain distance oftravel of the disks.

la. In a machine of the character described, the combination of opposed,rotatable feed rolls, opposed, peripherally-netched feed disks at anglesto the feed rolls, and so positioned with reference to said rolls, as tocause the notches of each disk to feed bunches of the material betweenthe rolls, a member extending between the` peripheries of the disks fora certain distance, the opposite edges of said member being curved toconform to the peripheries of said disks, and adapted to retain thelengths of material in the notches for a certain distance of travel ofthe disks, and means for releasing the bunches cf material from thenotches after the disks have rotated beyond the curved confining edges.

l5. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of opposed,rotatable feed rolls, opposed, rotatable, peripherally-notched feeddisks adjacent to the rolls, and at angles thereto, a holder for thematerial, and a partition dividing the holder above the feedingmechanism into a plurality of compartments, said partition formed with aslanting or peaked npper portion, and having' an extended end piece, theextended portion of said end piece provided with oppositely-cnrved edgeslying, respectively, adjacent to the notched disks for a certaindistance, and conforming' to the pe- -ripheries of said disks, spaces orpassages being left between thev curved edges and the disks respectivelyadjacent thereto, and with which spaces or passages the compartments arerespectively in communication.

1G. In a machine of the character described, the combination of arotatable member adapted for carrying removably thereon a spool ofthread, a Vertical arm forming a bearing at its upper end for one end ofsaid member, a standard to which the bearing` arm is pivoted at itslower end, and means for normally locking the bearing' arm in an uprightposition to the standard, said locking means when released, adapting thepivoted arm to be swung downwardly and outwardly to a position to permitof the removal of the spool of thread.

1T. ln a machine of the character described, the combination of a pairof opposed coperating' rotatable peripherally notched feed disks, ofseparate passages leading respectively tothe space between said feeddisks, and means for forcing' the material alternately from therespective passages tothe space between the disks.

1S. In a machine of the character described, the combination of a pairof opposed cooperating rotatable peripherally notched feed disks, ofseparate passages leading respectively to the space between said disks,means for forcing material alternatelyfrom the respective passages tothe space between the disks, and feeding mechanism to which the materialis forced from between the disks.

19. In a machine of the character described, a plurality of feeding`devices each embodying a holder for containingdifferent colored grassesseparate from each other, a pair of feed disks havingalternatelydisposed peripheral notches, and a condensing means for receivingandmixing' the different colored grasses from said feed disks, and a funnelfor receiving the mixed grasses from all of said condensingv means.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature, in presence of twoWitnesses.

BURROVS MCNFR.

litnesses H. Kiznnonn, A omis Manci-TANT.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

